The 5 Levels Of Leadership John C Maxwell

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Acknowledgments

Thank you to:
Charlie Wetzel, my writer;
Stephanie Wetzel, my social media manager;
Linda Eggers, my executive assistant.



You Can Have a Leadership Game Plan for Your
Life

Leadership is one of my passions. So is teaching it. I’ve dedicated more than
thirty years of my life to helping others learn what I know about leading. In
fact, I spend about eighty days every year teaching leadership. In the last
several years, I’ve taught about it on six continents. The subject is
inexhaustible. Why? Because everything rises and falls on leadership. If you
want to make a positive impact on the world, learning to lead better will help
you do it.

In all the years that I’ve taught about leadership, there has been one
lecture that I have been asked to give more often than any other—from West
Point to Microsoft and in countries all around the world. That lecture explains
how leadership works, and it provides a game plan for learning how to
become a leader. It’s “The 5 Levels of Leadership.”

My belief that everything rises and falls on leadership solidified in 1976,
and it set me on a leadership journey that I am still traveling to this day. I
began the journey by asking many questions. How do you define leadership?
What is a leader? How does leadership work? Unfortunately, people’s usual
answers to those questions are not very helpful. Some people identify
leadership with obtaining a leadership position. But I’ve known bad leaders
who had good positions and good leaders who had no position at all. Haven’t
you? Other people say of leadership, “I can’t describe it, but I know it when I
see it.” While that may be true, it doesn’t help anyone learn how to lead.

The conclusion I came to early on is that leadership is influence. If people
can increase their influence with others, they can lead more effectively. As I
reflected on that, a concept for how leadership works began to crystallize in
my mind. That concept was the 5 Levels of Leadership, which took me about
five years to develop. I have been teaching it ever since. And whenever I
present it, one of the questions people always ask is, “When are you going to
write a book about this?” As you can see, I’m finally answering that question.

You Can Learn Practical Leadership Tools

There are a lot of books about leadership lining people’s bookshelves. Why
should you read this one? Because it works. The 5 Levels has been used to
train leaders in companies of every size and configuration, from small
businesses to Fortune 100 companies. It has been used to help nonprofit
organizations understand how to lead volunteers. And it’s been taught in
more than 120 countries around the world. Every time I talk about it, people
ask questions and make observations. Those things have helped the 5 Levels
of Leadership to become stronger and to develop greater depth. The concept
is tested and proven. In addition, it offers several other benefits:

The 5 Levels of Leadership Provides a Clear Picture of
Leadership

How do people get a handle on leadership? For those who are not naturally
gifted for it, leadership can be a mystery. For them, leading people is like
walking down a dark corridor. They have a sense of where they want to go,
but they can’t see ahead and they don’t know where the problems and pitfalls
are going to lie. For many people in the academic world, leadership is a
theoretical exercise, an equation whose variables are worthy of research,
study, and rigorous debate. In contrast, the 5 Levels of Leadership is visually
straightforward, so anyone can learn it.

The 5 Levels of Leadership Defines Leading as a Verb, Not a
Noun

Leadership is a process, not a position. There was a time when people used
the terms leadership and management interchangeably. I think most people
now recognize that there is a significant difference between the two.
Management is at its best when things stay the same.

Leadership is a process, not
a position.

Leadership deals with people and their dynamics, which are continually
changing. They are never static. The challenge of leadership is to create
change and facilitate growth. Those require movement, which, as you will
soon see, is inherent in moving up from one level of leadership to the next.

The 5 Levels of Leadership Breaks Down Leading into
Understandable Steps

The subject of leadership can be overwhelming and confusing. Where does
leadership start? What should we do first? What processes should we use?
How can we gain influence with others? How can we develop a productive
team? How do we help followers become leaders in their own right? The 5
Levels of Leadership gives answers to these questions using understandable
steps.

The 5 Levels of Leadership Provides a Clear Game Plan for
Leadership Development

Too often when people think of their journey into leadership, they envision a
career path. What they should be thinking about is their own leadership
development! Good leadership isn’t about advancing yourself. It’s about
advancing your team. The 5 Levels of Leadership provides clear steps for
leadership growth. Lead people well and help members of your team to
become effective leaders, and a successful career path is almost guaranteed.

The 5 Levels of Leadership Aligns Leadership Practices,
Principles, and Values

When I developed the 5 Levels, I conceived of each level as a practice that
could be used to lead more effectively. As time went by and I used and taught
the levels, I realized they were actually principles. Here’s the difference: a
practice is an action that may work in one situation but not necessarily in
another. A principle is an external truth that is as reliable as a physical law.
For example, when Solomon said, “A gentle answer turns away every wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger,” he stated a principle that is universal and
timeless. Principles are important because they function like a map, allowing
us to make wise decisions. If we embrace a principle and internalize it, it
becomes a part of our values. The 5 Levels influences my leadership life
every day.

Overview of the 5 Levels of Leadership

Each of the subsequent sections of this book is dedicated to one of the 5
Levels. In them you will learn the upside of the level, the downside, the best
behaviors for that level, the beliefs that help a leader move up to the next
level, and how the level relates to the Laws of Leadership. If you are already
familiar with the Laws of Leadership, your understanding will be enhanced
by seeing how they fit in the 5 Levels. But even if you are new to the laws,
you will understand the basic concept behind each and how it is applicable.
There is also a growth guide for each level. However, before we dive into the
levels, I want to give you an overview of them and how they fit together, as
well as share some insights about the levels.

Level 1—Position

Position is the lowest level of leadership—the entry level. The only influence
a positional leader has is that which comes with the job title. People follow
because they have to. Positional leadership is based on the rights granted by
the position and title. Nothing is wrong with having a leadership position.
Everything is wrong with using position to get people to follow. Position is a
poor substitute for influence.

People who make it only to Level 1 may be bosses, but they are never
leaders. They have subordinates, not team members. They rely on rules,
regulations, policies, and organization charts to control their people. Their
people will only follow them within the stated boundaries of their authority.
And their people will usually do only what is required of them. When
positional leaders ask for extra effort or time, they rarely get it.

Positional leaders usually have difficulty working with volunteers,
younger people, and the highly educated. Why? Because positional leaders
have no influence, and these types of people tend to be more independent.

Position is the only level that does not require ability and effort to
achieve. Anyone can be appointed to a position.

Level 2—Permission

Level 2 is based entirely on relationships. On the Permission level, people
follow because they want to. When you like people and treat them like
individuals who have value, you begin to develop influence with them. You
develop trust. The environment becomes much more positive—whether at
home, on the job, at play, or while volunteering.

The agenda for leaders on Level 2 isn’t preserving their position. It’s
getting to know their people and figuring out how to get along with them.
Leaders find out who their people are. Followers find out who their leaders
are. People build solid, lasting relationships.

You can like people without
leading them, but you
cannot lead people well
without liking them.

You can like people without leading them, but you cannot lead people
well without liking them. That’s what Level 2 is about.

Level 3—Production

One of the dangers of getting to the Permission level is that a leader may be
tempted to stop there. But good leaders don’t just create a pleasant working
environment. They get things done! That’s why they must move up to Level
3, which is based on results. On the Production level leaders gain influence
and credibility, and people begin to follow them because of what they have
done for the organization.

Many positive things begin happening when leaders get to Level 3. Work
gets done, morale improves, profits go up, turnover goes down, and goals are
achieved. It is also on Level 3 that momentum kicks in.

Leading and influencing others becomes fun on this level. Success and
productivity have been known to solve a lot of problems. As legendary
former NFL quarterback Joe Namath said, “When you’re winning, nothing
hurts.”

On Level 3, leaders can become change agents. They can tackle tough
problems and face thorny issues. They can make the difficult decisions that
will make a difference. They can take their people to another level of
effectiveness.

Level 4—People Development

Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability
to empower others. That is what leaders do on Level 4. They use their
position, relationships, and productivity to invest in their followers and
develop them until those followers become leaders in their own right. The
result is reproduction; Level 4 leaders reproduce themselves.

Leaders become great, not
because of their power, but

because of their ability to
empower others.

Production may win games, but People Development wins
championships. Two things always happen on Level 4. First, teamwork goes
to a very high level. Why? Because the high investment in people deepens
relationships, helps people to know one another better, and strengthens
loyalty. Second, performance increases. Why? Because there are more
leaders on the team, and they help to improve everybody’s performance.

Level 4 leaders change the lives of the people they lead. Accordingly,
their people follow them because of what their leaders have done for them
personally. And their relationships are often lifelong.

Level 5—Pinnacle

The highest and most difficult level of leadership is the Pinnacle. While most
people can learn to climb to Levels 1 through 4, Level 5 requires not only
effort, skill, and intentionality, but also a high level of talent. Only naturally
gifted leaders ever make it to this highest level. What do leaders do on Level
5? They develop people to become Level 4 leaders.

If people are respectful, pleasant, and productive, they can establish a
degree of influence with others and gain followers with relative ease.
Developing followers to lead on their own is difficult. Most leaders don’t do
it because it takes so much more work than simply leading followers.
However, developing leaders to the point where they are able and willing to
develop other leaders is the most difficult leadership task of all. But here are
the payoffs: Level 5 leaders develop Level 5 organizations. They create
opportunities that other leaders don’t. They create legacy in what they do.
People follow them because of who they are and what they represent. In other
words, their leadership gains a positive reputation. As a result, Level 5
leaders often transcend their position, their organization, and sometimes their
industry.

Insights into the 5 Levels of Leadership

Now that you are acquainted with the levels, I want to share some insights
that will help you to understand how the levels relate to one another.

1. You Can Move Up a Level But You Never Leave the Previous
One Behind

Now that you’ve seen the levels and learned the basics about them, you may
assume that a leader climbs them, leaving one to arrive at the next, similar to
the way one moves up a staircase. But the truth is that you never leave a level
behind after you’ve achieved it. Instead, you simply build upon it. If you
think about it for a moment, you’ll agree that it makes sense. If you start out
with a leadership position and you build relationships with the people you
oversee, do you resign your position to do so? No. You don’t leave your
position to advance, but if you win Level 2 correctly, you never need to rely
on your position again.

Once you’ve built relationships with people and move to a higher level of
productivity, do you abandon or neglect those relationships? You had better
not! If you do, you’ll find yourself back down at Level 1 again.

Leaders don’t trade one level for another. They add a new level to the
previous one. It is a building process.

2. You Are Not on the Same Level with Every Person

Leadership is dynamic, and it changes from relationship to relationship. The
same is true for the 5 Levels of Leadership. I may be on a different one of the
5 Levels with each of five different people at my job. Someone the first day
on the job will acknowledge only my position, while someone in whom I’ve
invested and whom I’ve raised up to lead will likely put me on Level 4. If
I’ve been a good father at home, I may be on Level 4 with my children. If
I’ve been an absentee dad, I may be on Level 1. With my next-door neighbor,
perhaps I’m on Level 2.

Have you ever cast vision with your team and had a variety of responses
to the same piece of communication? To what do you attribute that? Different
backgrounds of the listeners? Different intelligence levels? Different levels of
training or experience? Different personalities? I believe all of those factors
can come into play, but often the most impacting factor is the level of
leadership you’re on with each person. People will respond to you based on
the level of leadership you’re on with them. And that is subject to change.

People will respond to you
based on the level of

leadership you’re on with
them.

Achieving a level of leadership is not like earning a degree. Nor is it like
setting a record as an athlete. You don’t achieve it and leave it. It’s more like
having to run a race every day to prove your ability. The lone exception is the
Pinnacle. Leaders who rise to Level 5 are sometimes given credit for being on
that level by reputation instead of just personal interaction. But it’s important
to note that at any level, a leader doesn’t always automatically stay at that
level. You must earn your level of leadership with each person, and that level
can go up or down at any time.

3. The Higher You Go, The Easier It Is to Lead

Here’s some good news. As you work to climb up the levels of leadership,
you’ll find that it gets easier to lead people. Each advance allows you to be
more effective in leading others because your influence increases as you go
to a higher level. As your influence increases, more people follow you more
readily. Limited influence, limited leadership. Greater influence, greater
effectiveness. That’s common sense. However, there’s also some bad news:
it’s not easy to climb the levels of leadership! If it were easy, everyone would
be a Level 5 leader.

4. The Higher You Go, the More Time and Commitment Is
Required to Win a Level

Which is harder? Being given a leadership position (Level 1) or getting
people’s permission to lead them (Level 2)? That’s pretty obvious. It takes
time, effort, and commitment to develop positive relationships with people.
How about moving from Level 2 to Level 3? I believe it is harder to become
consistently productive than it is to make friends. It’s even harder and
requires much more time to go to Level 4, where you develop people to
become good leaders. And it can take a lifetime to become a Level 5 leader
who develops leaders who in turn develop other leaders.

Years ago I remember seeing a Ziggy cartoon by Tom Wilson in which
the hero of the strip was on the road to success, and up ahead he could see a
sign that said, “Prepare to stop for tolls.” That would be good advice for
anyone wanting to rise up the 5 Levels of Leadership. There is no easy way
to get to the top. And each time you go up, you pay. You have to be more
committed, you have to give more, you have to use more energy, each time
you want to go up a level. And so do your people. Nobody achieves anything
great by giving the minimum. No teams win championships without making
sacrifices and giving their best.

5. Moving Up Levels Occurs Slowly, But Going Down Can
Happen Quickly

As I’ve said, it takes time to climb up the levels of leadership. I’ve had
people ask me, “How long will it take me to become a Level 5 leader?”

“A lot longer than you think” is my answer. Building always takes a lot
longer than destroying. A lot of things have to be right to climb to a higher
level, but sometimes it takes only one thing going wrong to cause someone to
fall. For example, think about how long it takes to build a great relationship
with a person. But if you do something to lose trust with that person, the
relationship can become permanently broken in the blink of an eye.

A lot of things have to be
right to climb to a higher

level, but sometimes it
takes only one thing going
wrong to cause someone to

fall.

While it’s unsettling to think about how quickly one can fall from a level
of leadership, I hope you can take solace in this: once you’ve climbed up to
higher levels, the ones below you function as a safety net. So the more
you’ve advanced up the levels, the more secure your leadership is. For
example, if you make some bad decisions on Level 3 that ruin your
productivity or that of the team, the relationships you’ve developed may save
you from being fired. The only level without a safety net is the lowest one:
Position. You don’t get too many chances to make mistakes on that level.
That’s another good reason to work your way up the levels of leadership.

6. The Higher You Go, the Greater the Return

You may give more to climb to higher levels of leadership, but you get more,
too. As a leader, your return on investment increases with each level. On
Level 2, you earn trust and the right to lead. On Level 3, you add to the
productivity of the organization. On Level 4, you multiply that productivity
because every time you add another leader to an organization, you add all the
horsepower of that leader’s team. On Level 5, the growth and productivity
become exponential as you add leaders to the organization who not only lead
others but also create generations of leadership development that keep on
producing.

The better the leaders are in an organization, the better everyone in the
organization becomes. When productivity is high, chemistry is good, morale
is high, and momentum is strong, then the payoffs increase.

7. Moving Farther Up Always Requires Further Growth

Each time a leader moves up to a higher level of leadership, greater skill is
required. For that reason, each step of growth requires further development
on the part of the leader. But here’s the good news. Each level of leadership
achieved functions as a platform from which the leader can grow into the
next.

Here’s how this works. To grow to a new level, leaders take risks. At the
lower levels, the risks are smaller and more easily won. For example, to make
the climb from Level 1 to Level 2, leaders risk initiating relationships. When
leaders get to higher levels, the risks get bigger. For example, on Level 3,
leaders may rally the team to try to accomplish a lofty goal only to fail; that
could cost the leader credibility, stop momentum, and demotivate team
members. But here’s the good news: every risk at a higher level is a natural
extension of the skills that leaders have by then developed. Outsiders might
look at a leader and say, “Wow, he really stepped out and took a big risk.”
But those observers may not see the growth that has occurred in the leader.
By the time the next risk must be undertaken, the leader has grown into it.

Growing as a leader
requires a combination of

intentional growth and
leadership experience.

Growing as a leader requires a combination of intentional growth and
leadership experience. If people rely only on experience without intentionally
learning and preparing for the next level, they won’t progress as leaders. On
the other hand, if they only prepare mentally yet obtain no experience
through risk and reward, and trial and error, then they still won’t progress. It
takes both—plus some amount of talent. But you have no control over how
much talent you possess. You control only what you do with it.

You see this dynamic when athletes try to move up from the college ranks
to the pros. They all have a degree of talent. What helps those who succeed

are intentional growth and experience. The athletes who rely only on their
college experience often don’t make it. And the ones who prepare mentally
and physically but never get actual game experience often have the same
negative outcome. It takes both to be successful.

If you possess a natural gift for leadership, you probably have a passion
for growth. You like to see things build. It’s part of your wiring. Go with it. If
you have a more modest amount of talent, don’t lose hope. You can make up
for a lot by becoming a highly intentional student of leadership, thereby
making the most of every opportunity. Either way, remember that success at
any level helps you to be successful at every level. So work hard to win the
level you’re on now. It will prepare you for the future.

8. Not Climbing The Levels Limits You and Your People

The Law of the Lid in The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership states,
“Leadership ability determines a person’s level of effectiveness.” In short,
your effectiveness in getting things done and your ability to work through
others is always limited by your leadership. If your leadership is a 4 out of
10, then your effectiveness will be no higher than a 4. Additionally, the Law
of Respect says, “People naturally follow leaders stronger than themselves.”
That means that if you remain a 4, then you will never attract and keep any
leaders better than a 3!1

One of the burdens of leadership is that as we go, so go the people we
lead. Reaching our potential sets an environment for others to reach theirs.
When leaders stop climbing, two questions need to be asked: “Can they
improve?” and “Will they improve?” Some people can’t; they’ve reached
their limit. Others won’t. Capacity is not the problem: choice and attitude are.
If people are willing to choose improvement and change their attitude, the
sky is the limit.

One of the burdens of
leadership is that as we go,
so go the people we lead.
Reaching our potential sets
an environment for others

to reach theirs.

Your leadership ability today is whatever it is. You can’t change the past.
However, you can change the future. You have a choice concerning your
leadership ability from this day forward. If you learn to climb the Levels of
Leadership, your leadership ability will improve. And that will positively
impact your overall leadership capacity. However, if you choose not to grow
as a leader, you better get used to being wherever you currently are, because
your situation isn’t likely to improve.

9. When You Change Positions or Organizations, You Seldom
Stay at the Same Level

What happens when leaders make a job change and begin leading a new
group of people? If you assumed that they stay on the same Level of
Leadership, you are mistaken. Every time you lead different people you start
the process over again. People don’t recognize you as a Level 4 People
Developer when you haven’t worked with them. You have to earn that. The
same goes for Levels 3 and 2. You start over at Level 1. However, there is
good news. If you reached Level 4 with some other group of people, you
already know how to get there. And because you’ve done it before, you can
move up the levels much more quickly than the previous time.

Each time you go through the process with a new group of people, you
become even more skilled at it. And after you’ve done it enough times, you
won’t be discouraged by the prospect of having to repeat it with others. For
example, for twenty-five years I led in the religious world. In that time I
worked in four different organizations, and in each I had to climb the levels
of leadership with the people there. Fortunately, in that world I was able to
reach Level 4 with many people, even many who were outside of those
particular organizations. However, when I started teaching leadership in the
business world, everything changed. I started back at Level 1 with many
people. I didn’t let that intimidate or discourage me. I was willing to prove
myself and work my way up through the levels again. And now, fifteen years
later, I’m enjoying the credibility I’ve earned by developing relationships,
being productive in that world, and developing leaders.

Positional leaders are reluctant to have to start over. Because they think of
leadership as a destination instead of a process—a noun instead of a verb—
they want to hold onto what they have. Their hope is to do it once and be
done. Good leaders are willing to re-earn their way back into leadership
because they understand that the leadership life will almost always require
them to start again at the bottom more than once.

10. You Cannot Climb the Levels Alone

“Leadership is accepting
people where they are,

then taking them
somewhere.”
—C. W. Perry

One of my favorite sayings is, “If you think you’re leading but no one is
following, then you are only taking a walk.” That thought captures the true
nature of leadership and also expresses the most important insight about the 5
Levels of Leadership. To succeed as a leader, you must help others follow
you up the levels. If people aren’t following you, you’re not moving up from
Level 1 to Levels 2 and 3. If other people following you up the levels aren’t
becoming leaders themselves, then you haven’t reached Level 4. And if the
people you’re developing aren’t on Level 4 developing generations of
leaders, then you will not achieve Level 5. The entire process includes other
people and focuses on helping them. As Quaker leader C. W. Perry said,
“Leadership is accepting people where they are, then taking them
somewhere.” That’s what the 5 Levels of Leadership is all about!

It’s Time to Go to the Next Level

I trust that you now have a basic understanding of the 5 Levels of Leadership
and how it works. But I’m guessing that by now you’re asking yourself, What
level am I on with most of my people? I make this assertion because every
time I teach the 5 Levels, that is a question people want answered.

I’ll help you to do that in a moment, but first let me say this:
understanding the 5 Levels of Leadership and knowing what level you are on
with each person will determine how you lead them. Good leaders do not
lead everyone the same way. Why? Because every person is different, and
you’re not on the same level of leadership with every person. Effective
leaders interact with followers based on:

Where they are with that specific follower,
Where the follower perceives the leader to be, and
Where the followers are in their own leadership development.

Each of these factors comes into play as you evaluate your leadership and
work to develop it.

I believe every person has the ability to improve in leadership. Becoming
a leader isn’t a mystical subject. It can be approached very practically, and
everyone has the potential to move up to a higher level of leadership.

What is your potential? Do you have the capacity and the desire to
become a Level 3, 4, or 5 leader? There’s only one way to find out. Accept
the leadership challenge, give growth your best effort, and dive into
leadership. If you’re willing to pick up the gauntlet, you’ll never regret it,
because there is no better way to increase your positive impact on the world
and add value to others than to increase your leadership ability.

I believe this book, with its guides for growth at each level, will help you
to navigate the process and help you climb. So good reading, good growing,
and as my friend Zig Ziglar says, “I’ll see you at the top.”



Leadership Assessment

How to Gauge Your Current Level of Leadership

This is a four-part questionnaire to help you understand where you are in the
leadership journey related to the 5 Levels. I want to encourage you to stop
moving forward in the book and immediately spend the time required to
assess your current level. Completing parts 1 and 2 should not require a large
investment of your time. Part 3 may take a bit longer, since it involves other
people, but please get that started, too. Its main purpose is to verify whether
your instincts and self-perception are correct in Part 2. Part 4 will give you
insight into where you stand overall with your team and should be done after
you’ve completed parts 1, 2, and 3.

If you do this groundwork, you will be in a much better position to grow
in your leadership as you read and work through the remainder of the book.

Part 1—Leadership Level Characteristics

This first section applies to your leadership in general. Please read the
following ten statements. Place a check mark next to each one that you agree
is true for you. Answer using your first instinct. Please do not skip any
questions, and do not go back and change any of your responses.

Level 1

I don’t have to remind the people who work for me that I am the
leader.
I think of each person who works for me as an individual person, not
just in terms of his or her function or role.
Most days I look forward to going to work.
I recognize that the position I’ve been given is an opportunity to learn,
not turf to be guarded.
The people who work for me are willing to do work above and beyond
their job descriptions.
I know that dealing with people problems is a part of leading and have
accepted that as part of the job.
I possess the desire to learn more about leadership and become a better
leader.
I think of my job in terms of work to be accomplished and give very
little focus to career path and the positions I desire to achieve along
the way.
One of my primary objectives is to assist the people who work for me.
Most people find it easy to work with me.

If you marked eight or more of the previous statements as true for you,
then you have probably already established yourself as a leader on Level 1
and have begun to move to the higher levels. Move on to the next section of
the test. However, if you checked fewer than eight, then you have probably
not yet mastered Level 1, and this is where you will probably begin your
work in personal leadership development. Why? Because you are only as
good as the lowest level you’ve mastered.

Level 2

People outside of my department or area of responsibility respect my
opinions and frequently seek me out for advice.
I know my strengths and weaknesses and rarely get blindsided in my
work.
I genuinely like most people and want to help them.
I am very consistent and even-tempered in my interaction with the
people who work for me.
When I say something to the people on my team, they always know
they can count on it because I am trustworthy.
I have developed solid relationships with all of the people who work
for me.
The people who work with me find me likable and pleasant nearly 100
percent of the time.
When I need to have a candid conversation with team members to
correct errors or take care of problems, I follow through and don’t
allow too much time to go by.
I believe that employees desire more than just a fair day’s pay for a
fair day’s work; most desire encouragement and I give it to them.
I have developed relationships with everyone who works for me.

If you marked eight or more of the above statements as true for you, then
move on to the next section. If not, you may want to save the rest of Part 1 of
the test for later because your answers indicate that you’ve not yet mastered
Level 2 and you don’t yet think like a Level 2 leader. If you do decide to
complete Part 1 at this time, please be aware that even if you mark eight or
more statements true in subsequent sections, you cannot be on the higher
levels of leadership because you have not yet won Level 2. This also applies
as you answer the questions in subsequent levels.

Level 3

I consistently hit targets and goals in my work.
Good people always want to work with me and my team.
People see me as an expert in my field and seek me out to learn from
me.
I am constantly setting and achieving higher goals for myself, even
when my superiors don’t set them for me.
My performance in my work often carries the team to a higher level.
I give my best to whatever I do.
I am comfortable with the idea that others are watching how I perform
and follow my example.
I am known as a problem solver, and I often get difficult tasks done.
My work is very consistent on a daily basis.
I have systems and routines that help me perform at a very high level.

If you marked eight or more of the above statements as true for you, then
move on to the next section. If not, your answers indicate that you’ve not yet
mastered Level 3 and you don’t yet think like a Level 3 leader.

Level 4

I schedule and follow through with training and development for all
the members of my team on a regular, consistent basis.
When deadlines loom or work becomes urgent, we never cancel our
training and development sessions.
I consistently take risks by giving people responsibilities and authority
that will stretch them.
I spend a significant amount of time every month mentoring up-and-
coming leaders.
I know very thoroughly the strengths and weaknesses of all the people
I lead.
I individualize the way I train, develop, and mentor my people.
I spend the most strategic and significant mentoring time with the
people who have the highest capacity, talent, and potential.
I have a history of moving people from position to position to help
find their fit.
I am continually giving people feedback, not just during formal
reviews.
My team or department is considered by others to be the best trained
(or one of the best) in the organization.

If you marked eight or more of the above statements as true for you, then
move on to the next section. If not, your answers indicate that you’ve not yet
mastered Level 4 and you don’t yet think like a Level 4 leader.

Level 5

I can name several specific people whom I have encouraged to speak
hard truths to me, and they do so regularly.
I am using my influence to instill values in my organization.
The course of my organization is set by me or by a team of which I am
a part.
I have developed many leaders who are developers of leaders.
I enjoy the interaction and friendship of a small circle of leaders with
whom I am taking the leadership journey.
I am still at the top of my game, and the positive impact I am making
is strong.
I can name at least one person who would be ready to step in and take
my place should I decide to leave my current position.
I have influence outside of my organization.
People from outside of my specific industry seek me out for leadership
advice.
I am using my influence and resources for causes greater than myself
or my organization.

In leadership, you are only as good as the lowest level you’ve mastered. So
I just want to remind you that even if you scored highly in one of the higher
levels, if you scored poorly on a lower level, your leadership is actually on
that lower level. That is where you will need to give your attention when
working with people to improve your leadership ability.

Part 2—Individual Team Member Assessment—Leader’s Point
of View

For each person you oversee directly (direct reports), please answer yes or no
to the questions on the following worksheet. (Be sure to complete Part 2
before moving on to Part 3.)

INDIVIDUAL TEAM MEMBER ASSESSMENT Date:
Name of Team Member:

Level 1

Yes No This person acknowledges you as his or her leader.

Yes No This person would agree that you are suited for the leadership
position you hold.

This person would acknowledge that you see your position as an
Yes No opportunity to earn your place at the leadership table, not as a

privilege to be used for personal advancement.

Level 2

Yes No You know things about this person’s family and personal
life outside of his or her work.

Yes No You know this person’s strengths and weaknesses.

Yes No You know this person’s hopes and dreams.

Yes No You are committed to helping this person succeed in his or
her work.

Yes No This person trusts you and you trust him or her.

Level 3

Yes No This person respects your professional ability and qualities.

Yes No This person asks for your advice and expertise.

Yes No This person has become more productive because of your
influence.

Yes No This person would acknowledge that the team is more
productive because of your leadership.

Yes No This person would agree that your team contributes to the
vision and purpose of the organization.

Level 4

Yes No You have given this person specific training that has helped
him or her to perform better.

You have mentored this person or put him or her in a
Yes No development process that has helped him or her to become

a better leader.

Yes No This person is now leading others because you have given
opportunities and training for him or her to lead.

Yes No This person is consistently loyal and supportive, and
always gives you the benefit of the doubt.

Yes No This person is not only leading others but has trained those
he or she leads to develop leaders thanks to your input.

Level 5

Yes No This person could step into your role with a very high
probability of success if you were to step down.

This person is your advocate and champions you with other
Yes No leaders so that you gain others’ respect even before you

meet them.

EVALUATION

You can learn two things from this assessment: First, you can understand
where you are with each person on the 5 Levels of Leadership based on your
answers. If you answered no more times than yes in a section, then you have
not gotten to that level with that person. (Instead, you would be on the level
below that one.)

The second thing you can learn is where you need to work to improve. A
no answer to any statement indicates where you need to do some work.

Part 3—Leadership Assessment—Team Member’s Point of
View

Ask each of the people who report directly to you to fill out the following
worksheet for you. They may do so anonymously if they wish. Use the same
criteria for evaluating this assessment as you used to evaluate the Part 2
assessment you completed.

Note that even if you are a very good leader, you may have an employee
or volunteer who refuses to put you anywhere but Level 1. You can try to win
over that person on Level 2 and then progress, but there are no guarantees
that the person will allow him-or herself to be won over.

LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT

Name of Leader: Date:

Please read each statement and respond with yes or no in reference to the
leader whose name is listed above. There are no right or wrong answers. This
assessment is designed only to describe your interaction with the person. (If
you wish, you may answer this assessment anonymously.)

Level 1

Yes No You acknowledge this person as your leader.

Yes No This person is well-suited for the leadership position he or she
holds.

This person treats the leadership position as an opportunity to earn
Yes No a place at the leadership table, not as a privilege to be used for

personal advancement.

Level 2

Yes No This leader cares about your family and personal life outside of
work and regularly asks you questions about them.

Yes No This leader knows your strengths and weaknesses.

Yes No This leader knows and respects your hopes and dreams.

Yes No This leader is committed to helping you succeed in your work.

Yes No You trust this leader and he or she trusts you.